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Sandy Information Centre Guided Walk - The Coffin Walk

Date Added: 20/04/2015

The second Sandy Information Centre Guided Walk for 2015 is called the COFFIN WALK and this takes place on Monday, 22nd June.

Beeston is now part of the ancient parish of Sandy. However, it used to be regarded as part of Northill. This was because the boundary between the old parish hundreds of Wixamtree and Biggleswade ran along the River Ivel. Thus Sandy was in the Biggleswade Hundred, whereas parts of Beeston and Northill were in the Wixamtree Hundred.
In 1305 there was an agreement between Sandy and Northill that certain houses listed in the parish of Northill owed their tithes to Sandy and the inhabitants ought to go to Sandy church to receive sacraments and be buried. However, a large number of medieval Beeston residents were buried in Northill and the route of the ‘Coffin Walk’ follows the way taken by the cortege from Beeston to Northill.
It is a very interesting and beautiful walk, including an avenue of mixed broadleaf trees and a nature reserve. There are a number of information Boards along the walk about the history of farming in the area and the wild life to look out for.
The walk starts from the Town Council Offices in Cambridge Road and then proceeds along Ivel Road and the Sandcast bridleway with its riverside meadows and woodland. The walk then continues along the Baulk, passing the Victorian Methodist Chapel. We will then cross the A1 by the footbridge and follow the route of the Greensand Ridge Walk, crossing the beautiful village green which is surrounded by properties of various ages.
We will then walk along footpaths crossing Beeston’s agricultural fields, cross over the Sandy-Shefford Road and continue to the village of Northill.
The parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin stands at the heart of the village and overlooks many of the early dwellings, the pub, the Green & pond, creating a scene virtually untouched by the 20th century. We will visit the parish church and look around the interior with its famous large panels of stained glass commissioned by the Company of Grocers 1664.The walk will then continue along the same route back to Beeston and Sandy.

We will meet outside the offices of Sandy Town Council, 10 Cambridge Road, Sandy at 10am. The cost of the Guided Walk is £5.50 per person (payable on booking please).SANDY INFORMATION CENTRE,
Sandy Town Council, 10 Cambridge Road, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 1AX